Before, on the website of REATA Real Estate services, there was shown possible new tenants for Rivercenter Mall. This had to have been more than a year ago. The mall had hired REATA to lease the empty spaces and potential future spaces, mall general manager Chris Oviatt said. But just because these big-name tenants were appearing on online brochures this was pure hypothesis, a marketing technique and nothing more. Nothing concrete.

Today the Historic and Design Review Commission is scheduled to rule on Rivercenter Mall’s master sign plan. And the HDRC doesn’t rule on conjecture.

A vaguer version of the mall’s sign plan was scheduled to go before the HDRC in March. This one actually names tenants. Oviatt declined to comment before the vote, but said he would be happy to talk after the HDRC’s ruling.

Oviatt has talked several times before of the mall planned conversion from suburban-type mall to downtown entertainment destination. But, until now, specifics have been scarce. These names certainly would put Rivercenter in the latter category.

“A master signage plan is the mall’s initial step toward a major redevelopment of the historic Joske’s Building at the corner of E. Commerce St and Alamo St and an effort to bring more life to Blum St.,” the HDRC agenda reads.

Blum Street is the back street between the Menger Hotel and the mall. The plans also show a hotel with a Commerce Street entrance.

Again, even this glimpse into the mall’s renaissance isn’t concrete evidence of what is going to happen. Hopefully, my interview with Oviatt later today will yield some specifics.